


Afraid of Loss

by Hufflepuffarchive



Category: markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, tw blood, tw death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-19 15:42:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22046593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hufflepuffarchive/pseuds/Hufflepuffarchive
Summary: Captain Magnum doesn't handle death well
Kudos: 21





	Afraid of Loss

Warning: blood, death

Captain Magnum was stomping down the halls of the ego inc with a big smile on his bearded face, humming an old sea shanty he and his crew would sing when they felt like partying. In one of his gloved hands was a scroll that he had received from his quartermaster, Pete. The scroll was a map to an island that was full of golden treasure. Now, he was on his way to invite his first mate Eric to come along. He and the boy always went on a pirate adventure when Eric was available, and he was sure his father would let him skip on work for a week or two.

Captain Magnum finally made it to Eric’s door where he came to a halt knocking on the door three times, waiting for a reply, but he didn’t receive one. He hummed to himself in question before knocking again. “Eric me lad, be ye in there?” he questioned, holding the scroll tightly. “I ‘ave some news fer ye.” his smile began to waver when the door didn’t open. In fact, he didn’t even here any movement on the other side. He might not be in his room at the moment.

Suddenly he heard talking echoing down the hall that led to the living room, prompting him to follow it, realizing that it was Illinois, Yancy, and Randal’s voices. Maybe they know where Eric was.

Yancy, Randal, and Yan were sitting on the couch, their eyes on Illinois, who was pacing around the room, his arm crossed and his lips shut tight, looking as if he were deep in thought. He stopped in his tracks as he turned back to the three. “So he’s in the infirmary now?”

“Yes, I made sure of it,” Randal explained as he looked down shaking his head. “He tried to play it off but he was shaking violently… And he was so pale.”

“When do youse think it started?” Yancy asked sitting up, looking at anyone who would answer.

“Yesterday he seemed very lethargic.” Illinois thought out loud. “I also checked his temperature and it was pretty warm.

"Ye, now it’s giv'n heat of like a furnace.” Yancy sighed shaking his head. “Poor kid. I hope it ain’t too serious.”

Illinois went to speak but was interrupted when Magnum stomped in with a smile on his face. “'ay mates. 'ave you spied eric?” Magnum asked holding up the scroll. “I 'ave excitin’ news fer the lad.”

The three egos looked at each other nervously, before Yan cast her eyes down, Illinois rubbing the back of his head, and Randal and Yancy sigh. This causes Magnum’s smile to waver abit. Why were they acting weird? “What?”

“Well, Maggie uh. Eric… He’s uh… In the infirmary.” Illinois began. “He’s sick.”

Magnum’s smile completely fell as he blood ran cold, the scroll falling from his hands to the ground, clattering when it hit the hardwood floor, causing the others to jump.

Randal blinked watching as Magnum’s tan face went pale, his warm brown eyes now cold, filled with fear. “Maggie, you okay?”

Magnum backed up, their voices becoming distant and echoey as the Illinois voice saying Eric’s sick played on repeat in his mind, causing him to shake his head.

“… No.”

Magnum remembered the time when he hired his first crew. All of them unique in their own way. He and they had concurred ships together, found fortune together, and sung shanties and partied till the sun rose above them. He loved his first crew dearly and thought he would spend many moons with them… That was until death decided to rear its ugly face upon his ship. The first death was the most devastating to Magnum, for it was his closest friend since childhood, he went on to name as his first mate. He had caught a sickness that left black splotches on his skin which itself felt hotter than the sun’s rays that beat down on Magnum’s face. His body frail and shaky in young Magnum’s grasp and he couldn’t do anything about it besides watch as his friend crumbled in his grasp.

“I… I don’t know what to do!” Magnum whimpered, watching as his first mate coughed into a rag that was now covered in blood. “Please, tell me what to do to make it better… Please!”

The member looked up into Magnum’s eyes, with a weak smile. “I don’t think there be anythin’ ye can do Cap'n.” he whispered weakly. “Just… Just be strong fer me… I…” the man paused as he slowly looked up, the light leaving his eyes as he exhaled one last time, closing his eyes like he was drifting to sleep.

Magnum froze, lightly shaking him. “T-Tom?… N-No, TOM! W-WAKE UP!” But he wouldn’t wake up… He was dead.

It only got worse after that, the sickness spread from crew member to crew member, killing them all off, except for Magnum and Pete, the one who raised him.

Magnum was on his knees, looking at all the bodies of his crew members who were covered in blankets, laid gently in a row in front of him, causing him to sob, hearing as his quartermaster walked next to him, resting his hand on his shoulder.

“Ye know, I ne'er agreed on much with yer father about anything, but 'e been right about one thin’.” Pete began watching as teary-eyed Magnum looked up at him. “Don’t get attached. Every pirate fer themselves.”

And so that what Magnum did, he didn’t get attached. He kept distance from the crew and only cared for his needs, which only left him more shallow and bitter in the end, caring for no one. That was until Eric came into the picture. That boy somehow broke through that cold exterior that he had built and made him care once more. That boy was family, and once again he got attached… And it was about to end again.

Magnum was stomping through the halls, his once warm eyes were cold and full of tears, his gloved hand clenched together, hearing as Randal, Yancy, Yan, and Illinois were chasing after him.

“Captain wait!” Randal called out. “It’s okay! Eric’s in good hands!”

“Whatever he has could be contagious!” Yancy added.

“That and he could be resting you don’t want to walk in there like-.”

Magnum ignored them as he reached the infirmary watching as Dr. Iplier walked out of the room about to close the door. “where be 'e?!” he watched as Iplier jumped, turning to him in shock. “Where be Eric?!”

“Magnum, he is in here but is very ill.” Iplier began calmly. “He has a serious case of influenza but we were able to get the fever down he just needs-.”

“I need to see 'im now.” He growled, trying to walk past Iplier but he stood in his way.

“Now hold on. He’s still pretty contagious.” Iplier tried to explain. “He needs a few days too-.” Iplier yelped when Magnum slammed into the wall, staring at him with cold eyes, the others gasping in shock.

“MAGGIE WHAT ARE YOU-?!”

“Out of my, I want to see 'im now!” he darkly growled.

“M-Magnum… I-I s-said-.”

“C-Captain?”

Magnum froze, peaking into the room, only to gasp, seeing Eric laying in the bed, paler than a ghost, his body violently shaking as he whimpered. Tears streamed down Magnum’s eyes as he let go of Iplier, slowly walking in. “Oh, Eric,” he whispered.

“I-I’m s-sorry I-I didn’t c-come t-to see you.” Eric whimpered, ignoring the pain. “I j-just g-got sick.”

“No!” Magnum suddenly whimpered, causing Eric to pause. He began to tremble as he shook his head, walking to the bed. “Nononono! Ye-Ye can’t get sick on me!” he cried taking one of Eric’s hands holding it close to his face.

“C-Captain?”

“I can’t lose ye, Eric!” he sobbed, squirting his eyes shut. “I lost so many. I know I act like I don’t care but I do, I really do just… Don’t set sail on me, please I can’t take it-it anym-more I-I. I-.” Magnum was beginning to hyperventilate as he resting his head on Eric’s chest, hugging him close, sobbing into his shirt.

Eric began to panic at Magnum’s sudden outburst pulling him close into a hug. “C-Captain! C-calm d-down. I-I’m n-not dying!”

Magnum sniffled as he pulled away, looking at Eric with confused and tear-filled eyes. “Wh-What?”

“He’s not going to die, Magnum.” Iplier began, getting their attention. “I know a lot of people in your time die of sickness real easily but here, we have the medicine to prevent death from happening when it comes to sicknesses from the flu.”

Magnum looked back and forth from the doctor and Eric. “S-So… Ye be not… Dyin’?”

Eric just smiled, holding his gloved hand. “N-No C-Captain… I’ll b-be fine.”

Magnum sighed with relief new tear forming in his eyes before his features changed into worry, turning to Iplier, remembering what he did in his fit of rage. “Doc, I-I be so sorry. I didn’t m-mean to 'urt ye I-.”

“It’s okay.” Iplier smiled with a sigh. “I deal with it on a daily.”

“It’s a-all g-gonna be okay.” Eric smiled, before he yelped, feeling as Magnum hugged him close.

“I ain’t leavin’ this here spot until I know ye be better,” Magnum whispered, giving him a gentle squeeze.

Eric just smiled, giving Iplier a nod, saying it was okay for him to stay, before hugging him back.

Later that night, Magnum was half asleep next to Eric, before hearing the boy whimper, causing him to look up in worry, finding Eric violently shaking, tears in his eyes as he cried. Magnum silently shushed him rubbing his head, watching as he opened his teary eyes. “What’s wrong son?”

“M-My b-b-body… It hurts.” Eric whimpered squinting his eyes shut. “It’s aching.”

Magnum began to panic looking around the room for something. “Wh-What do I do? What do you want me to do, me lad?”

“H-Heat… I n-need heat.” Eric whispered, pressing his head into his pillow.

Magnum looked around, trying to find something that can produce heat when an idea formed in his head. He turned to the boy before taking off his jacket and picking up the boy, wrapping him into it, making him look as if he were in a tan cocoon. Instantly Eric began to ease up with a sigh as the pain subsided, the jacket working like a heating pad for his aching body. Magnum cradled Eric close, feeling as Eric snuggled into Magnum’s warm chest, causing the pirate to smile.

“Th-Thank you, Captain,” Eric whispered as he drifted off to sleep.

“Of course son,” Magnum whispered, rocking him in his arms gently humming to him. From this point on, if Eric ever got sick again, he was gonna be there for him until he passes.


End file.
